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A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11
An Introduction To The Health Effects of
Animal or Plant Toxins
A Small Dose of Toxin
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Toxins Around Us
Have you every eaten too much puffer fish
or the wrong mushroom or been bitten by a snake?
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
399 BC Death of Socrates by HemlockCharged with religious heresy and corrupting the morals of local youth.
Active chemical is the alkaloid coniine which when ingested causes paralysis, convulsions and potentially death.
Ancient Awareness
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
From Romeo and Juliet - act 5Come bitter pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!
Here’s to my love! O true apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.
Historical Awareness
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Opium War of 1839-42Great Britain has a monopoly on the sale of opium which it forces on China. Eventually getting control of Hong Kong.
Consider our societies current “wars on drugs”.
Historical Events – Plant Toxin?
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Arachnids - Scorpions, Spiders, Ticks
Insects Snakes Lizards Fish, and frogs
Animal Toxins
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Tetrodotoxin 100 different species of puffer fish Tetrodotoxin used by fish to
discourage consumption by predators Low dose of tetrodotoxin produces
tingling sensations and numbness around the mouth, fingers, and toes
As little as 1 to 4 mg of the toxin can kill an adult
Example – Puffer Fish
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Scorpions, Spiders, Ticks
Arachnids
Scorpions – Stinger – low toxicity Spider bites
Widow spiders -– Neurotoxin Brown or Violin -– Tissue Damage
Ticks – Neurotoxin – Transmits other diseases
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Insects
Moths and caterpillars – Irritating to eat
Ants – Proteins, formic acid – Irritation to allergic response
Honey bees – Proteins – Swelling, allergic response
Wasps – Formic acid
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Reptiles
Lizards – Irritating to eat Snakes
Vipers – Rattlesnakes, Water moccasins, Copperheads – Complex enzymes – Tissue necrosis, allergic response, shock
Elapidae Cobras, Kraits, Coral Snakes – Proteins – Neurotoxin, paralysis
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Marine Animals
Shellfish (filter-feeding mollusks) Mussels, clams, oysters, scallops
Jelly fish, anemona, coral Sea Snail (cigua) and some fish,
oysters and clams Puffer Fish (fugu, blowfish, toadfish
… some frogs, starfish, octopus Tuna, shark, sword fish (mercury)
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Skin Gastrointestinal System Cardiovascular Systems Nervous System Liver Reproductive Effects
Plant Toxins
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Deadly nightshade plant (Atropa belladonna)
Used in the Roman Empire and during the Middle Ages both as cure and a poison
Women used preparations to dilate their pupils a sign of allure and beauty
Atropine is drug responsible for effects Counteracts the effects of pesticides and
chemical warfare agents that act by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase
Example – Jimson Weed
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Most dangerous mushrooms are the “death cap” (Amanita phalloides) or the “death angel” (Amanita ocreata).
Most susceptible are children less than 10 years of age
Initial symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and irregular heart rate
Amatoxin, damages the liver cells causing liver and kidney failure and possibly death
Amatoxin is very potent: only 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg of body weight results in death
Example – Mushroom Poisoning
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins - Skin
Allergic Dermatitis – Plant Rashes, itchy skin Philodendron, poison ivy, cashew, bulbs of daffodils,
hyacinths, tulips (antibody mediated)
Allergic Dermatitis – Pollen Sniffles & sneezing, runny eyes Ragweed (North America), Mugwort (Europe), grasses
(antibody mediated)
Contact Dermatitis Oral – Swelling and inflammation of mouth Skin – pain & stinging sensation Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)Nettles (Urtica)
Contact Dermatitis Skin – pain & stinging sensation Calcium oxalate crystals coated with inflammatory
proteins – contain histamine, acetylcholine
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins – Gastrointestinal
Direct stomach irritation - Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea California buckthorn (sacred bark), tung nut, horse
chestnut, pokeweed
Antimitotic (stops cell division) – Nausea, vomiting, confusion, delirium Lily family, glory lily, crocus, may apple Colchicine (gout treatment)
Lectin toxicity – nausea, diarrhea, headache, confusion, dehydration, death Wisteria, castor bean (Ricinus communis) Ricin – block protein synthesis very toxic 5 to 6 beans
can kill a child
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins – Cardiovascular
Digitalis like glycosides – cardiac arrhythmias Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), squill, lily of the valley Contain glycosides that are similar to digitalis
Heart nerves – decreased heart rate and blood pressure, general weakness Lily, hellebore, death camas, heath family, monkshood,
rhododendron Alkaloids, aconitum, grayanotoxin (concentrated in
honey)
Blood vessel constriction (vasoconstriction) Mistletoe (berries contain toxin) Toxin is called phoratoxin
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins - Nervous System I
Seizures Water hemlock, (parsley family), mint family
Stimulation – Excitatory Amino Acids – headache, confusion, hallucinations Red alga (red tide), Green alga Mushrooms– Amanita family (fly agaric), Flat Pea
(Lathyrus)
Aberrant behavior – very excitable, muscle weakness, death Locoweed - Australian & Western U.S. plant
Stimulation Coffee bean, tea, cola nut Caffeine, most widely consumed stimulant in the world
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins - Nervous System II Neurotoxic – death
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) Coniine – neurotoxic alkaloid – Poison used by Socrates
Paralysis – demyelination of peripheral nerves Buckthorn, coyotillo, tullidora (U.S., Mexico)
Atropine like effects – dry mouth, dilated pupils, confusion, hallucinations, memory lose Solanaceae family – jimsonweed, henbane, deadly
nightshade (Atropa belladonna), angles trumpet (atropine and scopolamine)
Neuromuscular – mild stimulation to muscle paralysis, respiratory failure (curare), deathCoffee bean, tea, cola nut Tobacco – South American – Strychnos family (curare)
Blue green alga (anatonin A)
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins – Liver
“Hepatitis” and cirrhosis of liver - From contaminated grain Ragwort or groundsel Pyrrolizidine alkaloids – attack liver vessels – effects
humans, cattle but some species resistant
Liver failure and death Mushrooms – “Death cap” (Amanita phalloides) Amatoxin and phalloidin effects RNA and protein
synthesis
Liver cancer Fungus that grows on peanuts, walnuts, , etc…plant Alfaltoxins– produced by fungus in poorly stored grain
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Plant Toxins – Reproductive
Teratogen – malformations in offspring (sheep) Veratrum californicum – native to North America Veratrum – blocks cholesterol synthesis – seen offspring
of mountain sheep
Abortifacients Legumes (Astrogalus) Bitter melon seeds (Momordica) Swainsonine toxin – stops cell division Lectins - halt protein synthesis– used by humans
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Be aware of what plants or animals
you eat!
Summary
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Additional Information
Web Sites• Natural Toxins Research Center (NTRC) - Texas
A&M University System. Online. Available HTTP: <http://ntrc.tamuk.edu/> (accessed: 09 Jan 2011).
• Cornell University Poisonous Plants Informational Database. Online. Available HTTP: <http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/index.html> (accessed: 09 Jan 2011).
A Small Dose of A-P Toxin – 01/09/11 A Small Dose of Toxicology
Authorship Information
For Additional Information ContactSteven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT
E-mail: [email protected]: www.asmalldoseof.org
www.toxipedia.org
This presentation is supplement to “A Small Dose of Toxicology”